Alois Ritter

Ritter, Alois
Portage, MI Alois Ritter passed away on Saturday, March 15 in her home, with her loving husband, Edwin, and her children and grandchildren by her side. She was born October 28, 1928, in Cass County, Mich., the daughter of Earl Anderson and Mary Schmidt Anderson. She graduated from Marcellus High School in 1947 and worked for G.W. Jones Bank in Marcellus and American National Bank in Kalamazoo. She had many interests in life. She belonged to the First United Methodist Church in Portage, as well as a local quilting club. She loved to cook and create delicious desserts for her children and grandchildren. She also loved to travel, especially when it involved escaping a cold Michigan winter. It all started with a trip she and Ed took to their ancestral homeland: Germany. They went on to visit numerous parts of the world, including Venezuela, Morocco, Spain, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and four winters in Costa Rica. She treasured every trip, but one of her favorite places was Texas' Rio Grande Valley and its Mexican border towns. She loved the shops, the food, and of course, the weather. She and Ed made more than 20 visits to various parts of Mexico. She was generous and spiritual. She was a longtime member of First United Methodist Pathfinder Church in Portage and donated to many charities, including an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico, and organizations that assist children suffering from cleft palate. Along with her husband, Edwin, she is survived by two children, Keith Linda Ritter of Schoolcraft and Elaine Steve Shirk of Texas Twp., four grandchildren, Jeff Fernanda Ritter of New York, N.Y., Bradley Kimberly Ritter of Kalamazoo, Michael Shirk of Texas Twp., and Nicholas Shirk of Texas Twp; and one great-grandson, Graham Ritter. She was preceded in death by one brother and one sister, Richard Anderson and Lucene Hammond. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19 at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, 411 E. Centre Avenue, in Portage. Pastor Greg Wood will officiate. A private interment will be held at a later date. Friends may visit with the family from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan or a charity of the donor's choice.